Mercedes' Finn joins the title battle with maiden win in Sochi
Monday 1 May 2017 20:24, UK
Mercedes driver Valtteri Bottas credited 'home comforts' for keeping his focus during nerve-wracking Russian GP win.
It was Bottas' first ever Grand Prix victory - at the 81st attempt.
"For the last 10 laps I was just asking for radio silence. I just wanted it to be a bit like home - nice and quiet. That way l could focus on my racing," the Finn explained.
"All l was thinking about was getting as much out of every lap as possible, getting through the backmarkers as quickly as possible," Bottas said.
Bottas started the race in third position on the grid, but soon flew past Ferrari drivers Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen to gain an early lead.
The 27-year-old then maintained his position throughout, despite a tense end to the race when Vettel came within a second of him in the final 10 laps, after Bottas flat-spotted his tyres.
"I've never doubted my skills and now I'm just keen on improving," he told Sky Sports F1.
"It feels good. We really had to take it today, it's not like it was given, there was no one in front having engine failures or anything so you know on the critical moments we had to keep it together, so that feels good."
When asked whether he thinks that he can win the Championship, Bottas replied:
"For me, that's the only goal in my career.
"It [the win] took quite a while, more than 80 races for me, but it was definitely worth the wait and definitely worth the learning curve.
"This strange opportunity came to me in the winter to join this team and they've made it possible today, so I want to thank the team, it wouldn't be possible without them, it was amazing."
It was not such a great weekend for team-mate Lewis Hamilton, who finished fourth - giving Sebastian Vettel a 13 point lead in the Drivers' Championship.
"Ferrari is going to be the challenge, if someone is going to stop us winning, it's going to be Ferrari, but we are working hard to make that happen," Bottas explained.
"But now I think I have proved that I can win as well for the team but also for myself. It gives me a lot of confidence and I'm only expecting better races from here."
Vettel, meanwhile, suggested that the wind direction in Sochi may have been pivotal in him losing the lead to Bottas into Turn Three.
"There was not much I could do," said the Ferrari driver. "I think it was a drag race. Obviously, I didn't have a tow. There was a bit of headwind as well, the wind was blowing the wrong way so it's another 10/15kph off, the speed that you lose with the wind blowing against you rather than from behind. I guess it helped him but it didn't help me."
Don't miss all the reaction from Sochi and tune in for the F1 Report: Russian GP Review on Sky Sports F1 on Wednesday night at 8.30pm
